Behind the Painted Veil
by VoiDreamer
Summary: They stood side by side, hands almost touching save for the veil, reality, that stood as barrier between their two worlds, the only force keeping them apart. A series of events as seen from each of their POVs *Setsuna x Marina*
1. Whisper: Setsuna

AN: I don't think I'll ever forgive Gundam00 for not putting these two together...the Feldt thing was just too rushed. Ah well, here's my little ode to my favorite (second favorite?) pairing! Marina POV to come out later!

I don't own Gundam 00, its character or anything else you may recognize!

* * *

It was a night much like any other; quiet, though Setsuna now recognized such fleeting stillness. He would have only moments to indulge himself, to cater to the one selfish desire, a single thought, he guarded with his every action.

_Marina Ismail._

He needed to see _her_ again.

And so he had. Stealing away from his hotel hundreds of miles away, to be here, as close as the Gundam Meister ever allowed himself.

He stood silently by her open window, torn between his emotions and his actions. His heart had led him here, his body had resisted. With every step he had tried to betray himself – a footstep too loud, an improperly executed jump from roof-top to balcony. Already he could feel the ache of his shoulders as he stood too rigidly just within the confines of the Princess's room.

_Why had he found himself here yet again?_

The ever silent Meister struggled as whether to be relieved or upset at his ability to be here. To have arrived here unchallenged, to have slipped past nearly twenty guards without their notice spoke as much about his own skill as it did of _her_ vulnerability.

Taking several steps closer to where she slept, the ex-child soldier allowed himself a glimpse of the long blue-black hair and delicate features that seemed forever burned into his mind. Was she truly such an easy target that he could arrive here, night after night, intruding without consequence?

_What would happen to her if he had been any other man?_

Unbidden, the image of his old mentor came to him, no doubt Ali Al-Saachez, was capable of a cruelty that was near alien to most of humanity. As if to shake of the chill that had so suddenly settled around him, Setsuna allowed himself a step closer to her bed, close enough to brush the soft gauze of her canopy and hear her gentle breathing.

He shouldn't go closer; moving further away would have been a smarter choice, a tactical decision in his favor.

And yet, to watch her sleep, if just for a moment more seemed like the greatest of reprieves. As if the world had, for once, found the peace he so desperately fought for. He couldn't explain it, doubted he would ever admit to anyone else how much he would sacrifice to remain this way. But he wanted to stay by her side, to walk beside her though the distance between them should grow.

She had once said that they both wished for the same thing though they walked different paths. He didn't doubt her words, didn't doubt that she believed them and that he agreed. Diplomacy would forever be useless to him. But in this moment, watching her as he was, it almost seemed as if they were, if just for a moment, standing on the same path, together.

"Setsuna?"

The soft flutter of dark lashes against pale skin pulled his attention away from his thoughts and to the woman struggling to remove the deep tendrils of sleep that still kept her head pillowed on her arms. She had awoken only a few times when he visited, and each time had prompted him to reiterate the fact that he had no business being here.

"Go back to sleep, Marina Ismail."

Her name flowed softly from his lips, tender though he had given her an order. Remaining by her bedside for a moment longer, the youngest Gundam Meister watched as she fell beneath his spell once more, her delicately fringed eyelids growing heavy with sleep though she struggled against it.

"Sleep…"

Almost unbidden, his hand came up to brush a stray hair away from her cheek, lingering as he felt the warmth of her skin and the smooth crest of her cheek. Realizing his mistake, Setsuna locked his jaw and quickly pulled his hand away.

And yet, despite his error, he found it impossible to completely leave her, stopping just short of the window that had become his only entrance into her world. Years of fighting, or losing friends and finding himself forever on the battlefield lay just outside. But right there, beneath a wispy cover of angora lay the only person who had suggested otherwise.

_Peace_.

Asleep once more, Marina looked more like a girl rather than the woman he knew she was. A kind soul, one of the very few he had ever encountered. She had remained true to herself despite the battles that had come to ravage her homeland, wound her people and challenged her beliefs.

An ideal that suggested peace could be found through peaceful means.

She bore the emotional wounds to prove that not everyone agreed with her, but physically remained unblemished. He had protected her thus far, as best as he could, from the shadows that lurked within her own palace to those that threatened from beyond the great walled gardens. But that time was quickly coming to an end. He could sense it as one senses a storm by the distant rumbling of thunder and not the crash of lightning.

And when at last he turned to her in farewell, the tear on her cheek gave him pause. Setsuna was not fool enough to confuse tears with weakness, but her question seemed to hang in the air between them.

"I'll be back," he murmured as he committed her image to memory one final time, "Marina Ismail."

His letter arrived only a week later, her name the first words on the page.

Written in a beautiful flowing script so unlike his usual precise manner, the questions he asked, the ones left unanswered made her cry as she read them. Again and again she read, until it seemed as if she could almost hear his voice as he murmured in her ear.

He was gone.

And though she remembered his promise, kept the letter tucked in the pocket of her gown without fail, it would be four years before she would see him again.

END


	2. Whisper: Marina

AN: Alrighty, so here's Marina's side of Whisper - after this there will be another two scenes from each of their POVs, so you can expect another four chapters before I wrap this one up :) Hope you enjoy! And as always, I don't own anything you recognize!

* * *

She was exhausted, terribly so.

Weeks of travel, of failed diplomatic negotiations and bombings had left her as emotionally devastated as her small country. Wrought with constant worry and barely managing to stay upright, Marina Ismail all but shuffled into her bedroom before shutting the door.

Her feet were aching in the delicate heels she had chosen to wear, and the dress that she had for so long found comfortable now seemed to strangle all but the shallowest of breaths.

For once, in her service as Princess she decided take time for herself, a luxury she had not allowed herself due to the overwhelming expectations that had risen after her appointment to office.

Her shoes were off before she finished closing the door, her thin socks after them, tucked neatly together.

Surely tomorrow Shirin would have a full schedule she expected her lady to keep, but at the moment Marina could hardly think past the bath that was waiting for her in the next room.

Sighing softly, the Princess of Azadistan settled in front of her vanity for a moment to unwind the coiled braids of hair atop her crown, sighing again in appreciation as the fierce pounding of her head quieted by the smallest of margins.

It was a minor respite compared to all the other aches of her body but she was glad all the same. Already it was becoming hard to see clearly, her eyes tired from endless nights of reading government policies and contracts issued by the Federation, and though she could appreciate the softness of her carpet, her feet throbbed all the same.

Disappearing into the bathroom to start the water for her bath, she returned after a long minute, her hands busy divesting herself of the unbearably stifling formal dress.

_Setsuna._

Pausing again in front of her vanity Marina looked at herself and shook her head as if to scold her reflection.

_What was she doing?_

Her thoughts of him were completely incongruous with her current state of mind. She was exhausted and she wanted to get to bed, not idle about thinking about a boy with whom she had only limited contact. And yet, for all of her thoughts his image lingered at the forefront of her consciousness.

The boy with the deep amber eyes, she could picture him perfectly. As if conjured, the image of his delicately curling hair seemed to hang in the air before her.

_How many times had she thought of him since they had first met?_

Submerging herself in the hot water of her bath, the Princess sighed contentedly as the muscles in her back began to loosen. A temporary reprieve that all too soon vanished as _he_ once more came to mind.

_Why was it that the image of this youth, this Gundam Meister, seemed to persist?_

The thought remained with her throughout the rest of her bath until she dressed for bed and went to lock her door, as was her custom.

And with only the briefest hesitation she locked the door to her room, the small key and lock mechanism an old but still very effective alternative considering the relative lack of technological advances in her country.

The locked door provided her a means of privacy. Privacy she prized on this night more than others. She struggled not to think of anything else but her ever increasing need for rest. She succeed, if albeit with altogether too much effort spent doing so.

"All done then," she spoke softly to herself as she delicately smoothed the gauzy curtains at the windows and watched it fall properly into place.

And without another word the young Princess of Azadistan climbed exhaustedly into bed, pulling her blankets over her with a hum of approval. She fell asleep almost instantly, her last thoughts of serious amber colored eyes.

It was only a few hours later when her gentle slumber was interrupted by the almost imperceptible rustle of shoes through the thick bedroom carpet, and the flapping of thin curtains in the wind pushing through an open window.

_Who…_

Opening her eyes, Marina saw the barest of outlines in the dark, and though she could not see him completely she felt no worry as she watched him move around, for he had visited her on many occasion since their fateful meeting months ago.

_She would have recognized his silhouette anywhere… _

As she had so many times before, she thanked the gods that she was a light sleeper, so that she might know when he came to visit her.

"Setsuna?"

Whispering his name seemed almost intimate given the physical closeness of his body to her own. And yet, perhaps that was the strangest part of all, for they were neither lovers nor truly even friends. He was a soldier, in a conflict he never wanted, and she was a diplomat whose power should have made her influential in the shaping of her country's future.

For all of her 'power' it took only the briefest of words to bend her to his will.

"Go back to sleep, Marina Ismail."

How strange it was, for her to listen to a boy, a child, so many years her junior. And yet, taking only a momentary glance at those serious amber eyes seemed to age him. Years of experience lay behind him, the weight of his choices heavy on such small shoulders.

Had he not come to her room so frequently, his questions always more numerous than the hours she had to answer them, she doubted she would have realized the depth of his uncertainties. But he had trusted her with that, his weakness, his inability to understand and so she had come to know him.

Not well of course, they were not close as friends were. But there was a sense of belonging that came with sharing information, ideas. And now, no matter how many years her eyes seemed to age him Marina couldn't help but continue to think of him as a child, a boy who seemed just as lost as she was.

Closing her eyes tiredly, the Princess sighed and let her mind wander for a moment, content in knowing that he felt safe here. Affection, she decided, she felt a deep sort of maternal love for this warrior boy, this Gundam Meister. She couldn't explain it really; one didn't usually feel such tender emotions for another without first being friends, but the feelings were there, within her all the same.

Frightened at the implication, Marina turned away, physically shifting as if trying to escape whatever truth was waiting for her. And yet, for all of her moving, Marina was very conscious of the man seated so tentatively on the edge of her bed.

Past experience had shown him to be particularly adverse to contact when not absolutely necessary. But no sooner had she thought these words when the barest whisper of his touch stole the very breath still in her lungs.

_He was so gentle_.

The touch, hesitant but purposeful lingered as the finger coasted along her cheek, drawing away only when he reached her jaw. He pulled away as if burned, his expression hidden in the shadows as he turned away, his movements unusually jerky.

Watching him from beneath her lashes, she followed his quiet movement from her bed to the open window. Something was on his mind, and as she caught his pained expression in the scant moonlight filtering through the slim opening, Marina wished she could find it in herself to speak, call out to him and stop him from leaving.

_Setsuna?_

Why was it that her heart seemed to ache so terribly at his expression, his pain? The slow contractions in her chest making it throb amidst the haze of sleep that was once more reasserting itself.

She wanted to talk to him, had thought about him tirelessly since their last meeting. But she could not find it in herself to raise her head and speak to him clearly.

Frustration brought her to tears before she could quite control herself, and it was only when he turned to go that she managed a whispered goodbye.

"Be safe…Setsuna."

She would be crying a week later, sobbing as she read his letter, her body shuddering as the exhaustion returned anew and the loneliness returned with stark clarity.

_He was gone. _

Never before had her chest felt as if it would split so completely open. Clutching the letter tight to her chest she tried to push the feelings deep within and stop the searing pain of her heart as it was ripped asunder.

_Why had this happened? How?_

She had always listened to what he had said, had fallen asleep just as he had asked. So why had he not listened to her? It had been the most simple of requests.

_I asked you to stay safe…_

It was a long time before she could sleep through the night again.

END


	3. Silence: Setsuna

AN: Alrighty - hope everyone is doing well, here's the second installment (3rd chapter) in the ongoing romance between Marina and Setsuna. As you can probably tell now its a slow to build sort of relationship, but I thought that was more in keeping with their nature.

As always, I don't own anything you recognize (GW 00 *cough*) ENJOY!!!

* * *

The next time he found himself in her room, she was gone; vanished, as if she had never existed.

Not a single article of clothing seemed out of place, her bed pristine despite the hour, and her desk immaculate. Had he not visited her so often he would have mistaken the cleanliness for feminine habit. But Marina had always been scattered when she was thinking, and her desk had often been a reflection of that mindset, the only place where mess was the usual.

Moving to examine the few contents, the Meister lingered over the small feminine handkerchief tucked away in a corner of a drawer. Delicate white lace embroidered with a small 'm,' Setsuna remembered the evenings he had seen her fall asleep with small bandages on her fingers the last time he had seen her.

_Had she left somewhere?_

He had tried to live as she had once told him, without anger or fury, without the use of force to bring about peace. And it had worked for him, as an individual he found that no one hurt him and that he could exist without the constant sound of gunfire and explosions.

_But where was she? _

Ever peaceful, he couldn't imagine she would have become a target for any group, not for any reason. He had watched the news, the A-laws were looking for Celestial Being, but nothing else had changed in these five years. The princess would have had no reason to hide, she was innocent.

But _he_ was not.

Catching a glance at his reflection in her small wall mirror, Setsuna watched as realization slowly filtered across his features, the struggle to remain unmoved by the implications dwarfed only by a need to control the sudden surge of anger.

If the A-laws had believed the Princess had ties to Celestial Being then there could be little doubt about where she had gone, and who was responsible for taking her.

Turning towards the window, the ex-child soldier walked swiftly across the room before pausing suddenly. He had lived these past four years following her words, each day attempting to do as she had suggested. Closing his eyes he searched for the right response. Bending his head back to draw a deep breath took more effort than not. He could still feel her in this room, could imagine her reading at her desk, and see her hand close around the corner of her pillow as she fell asleep.

The very air in the room seemed to retain an imprint of her.

The Princess.

_Marina Ismail_

Her name came to his lips but he did not utter them. He did not understand what it meant, that his thoughts were always of her, that his mouth seemed so ready to speak either of the two names by which she was known.

He did not understand how merely her presence made him so much more aware of the frantic palpitations of his heart, the tension in his chest, that any danger to her person made it hard to think without the red haze of anger.

Even when he had been lost in space, his body seizing in pain and his mind hazed with the agony and realization that he was alive, he had imagined her. Her long hair, nearly the color of the night sky, her eyes and the way she had always spoken his name kindly.

"Setsuna?"

_Had silence truly ever been so absolute?_

Setsuna took another breath and tried to decide between the life he had once had and the life she had offered him.

_Where was the soft sound of her breathing, the rustling of blanket as she rolled over?_

_Where were the cerulean eyes that seemed to unerringly follow him?_

Amber eyes opened slowly to find a ghostly image of the lady seated by the window, her expression worried as she looked at him.

_He had to make a decision. _

Taking not more than a step forward, the Meister stopped short as searing pain raced up the back of his legs and across his shoulders, the agony near paralyzing as the young man struggled for breath.

"Setsuna?"

Gasping sharply, his arms trembling, Setsuna bent forward to ease the pain and bit his lip against making further sound. No doubt it would be impossible to escape should he be discovered now. Still, the agony remained despite his silence and he could do nothing but endure, remembering the final battle that had occurred nearly five years ago.

He was nearly entirely healed now, the pain would fade, but the scars would remain.

"Setsuna?"

He was hearing things, watching as his mind conjured images best left forgotten. And yet, he could not stop the way his chest tightened in yearning.

It was his decision; he had to find her.

The silence was roaring in his ears.

Struggling upright, his hand brushing one of the tall posts of her bed, the Gundam Meister managed to steady himself before pushing upright.

He couldn't stay much longer, could no longer stand the silence, the almost tomb-like role the room had come to represent. And so he turned to leave, pausing only make her a promise, a small light in a world that had so suddenly turned completely dark and confusing.

Lonely.

"I will find you."

END


	4. Silence: Marina

AN: And here's Marina's side of the story - set towards the beginning of the second season (but still certainly pre-season for all intents and purposes) ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize :)

* * *

She lay in bed unable to sleep, had been unable to find peace with herself ever since that night so many years ago.

_It was her fault, all her fault that he had died._

She clenched the thought close to her chest and let it tear away at her, it was the least she could do considering she had all but driven

If only she had spoken that night, had called him away from the window and asked him what was wrong.

The agony stayed with her, each day, the seconds slowly passing in an unending cycle of guilt that ate at her a little more each day. She could barely stand the evenings she had to herself, and the day was only slightly better.

Unable to cope properly with her choice, she had thrown herself into her work with a zealous passion that had surprised everyone, even herself. Knowing that every moment of her work was making peace that much more attainable made her work her sole point of being. Nights were used to finish reading more bills and write new ones, the days filled with official meeting and conversations with foreign delegates.

She didn't stop, _would not_ until exhaustion caused her to collapse on her bed still dressed in the clothes she had worn all day.

"Setsuna?" she had taken to calling his name aloud whenever she was lonely, an increasingly rare occurrence now that she had taken on such an ambitious range of works.

Still, the emotions remained, the tender feelings growing now that she realized nothing would come of it. She kept herself tied, ever more firmly, to the image of the young man who had sat so silently at her bedside and touched her cheek.

A lone tear fell from the corner of one eye, landing on the document in front of her and blurring the dark text. No doubt she would have problems reading the words when she found it in herself to try. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate as the minutes ticked by; the silence deafening as it did nothing to prevent thoughts of _him_ from entering her mind.

"No! You may not see her, what are you doing here?!"

The sounds of an argument seemed suddenly nearby, the shrill voice of her dressing maid in conflict with a deep rumbling one she didn't recognize.

"She has done nothing wrong!"

Feeling her stomach twist uncomfortably, Marina cast a glance to her window and the balcony just outside. Part of her desperately wishing he would appear once more, if just to take her away.

"Princess Marina!"

Marina jumped in her seat; the voice was right outside her door now, much louder than she had initially though.

"…Yes?"

Unable to stop the waver of her voice, the Princess of Azadistan stood up from her desk, and crossed her room opening the door quickly only to stop short, her path was blocked.

"Marina Ismail?"

The sharp voice was brisk and impersonal, the tone matching the hulking figure that seemed to fill her door frame.

"Yes, that would be me."

Marina didn't try to muster a friendly smile, there was little to smile about these days, and she had no energy left. Instead, she observed the rough looking man and the badge he wore on his uniforms; A-laws.

The princess tried to stifle the sudden wave of unease that swept through her, but couldn't stop the panic that forced her back a step. The unnamed man followed her, moving forward so as to keep the distance between the two of them equal.

"I need you to come with us, if you would Princess."

She nearly shook her head and said she wouldn't. But it was then that she spied the three other bulky figures waiting in the hallway, their weapons drawn and ready.

_She was going to be sick. _

"Y-yes of course."

Ignoring the way her stomach continued to dive, Marina pushed her trembling hands into her pocket, as she tried to function properly, "Where will we be going?"

"Away." His voice broke no disagreement, and Marina quailed a little under his fierce expression.

"How much will I need to pack? Or should I just send for it later?"

"You will not need anything." He replied gruffly.

"O-oh…" Marina tried to look anywhere but at the man who would no doubt be taking her away, "When do we leave?"

His hand had closed firmly around her upper arm before he answered.

"Now."

*******

Hours later, lying on the hard cot they had given her, in the small prison cell they had assigned her, Marina felt the last of her strength give way. Curling up beneath the modest blanket they had allowed into the cell, the woman tried to push away the memories of the day, the questionings.

It had felt more like torture, and she had the bruises around her wrists that seemed to attest to the fact.

_Had the Federation truly agreed to create such an awful military presence?_

Wincing a little as she tugged the blanket higher, Marina felt her body convulse from the cold and attempted to curl up even more. She felt more like an animal then not, and though they had questioned her thoroughly already the guards didn't seem ready to let her leave.

_How long was she going to be here?_

Shuddering a final time as her blankets slowly began to warm, Marina allowed her mind to wander to the familiar subject of _him _for the first time since her arrival at this prison. She had been questioned incessantly since coming here, and every moment of the interrogation had been about either him or his organization.

She knew next to nothing about Celestial Being, but what she did know about the youngest Gundam Meister remained sealed behind her lips. Even harassment and shouting had done nothing to sway her from her silence.

It was the only small victory she could claim.

"Setsuna…"

The fact that he would not be captured and brutalized seemed to be the only bit of optimism she could glean from her memory of him now. She was glad he was safe, for once relieved that he in a place no military force could wound him or force him to fight. And yet, without his presence, her situation seemed all the more difficult for they would never find him, nor would she ever tell them what had happened to him; and so she imagined that this small cell, this prison would see her through a good many years.

The thought was as terrifying as it depressing.

Sniffling softly, Marina pillowed her head against her arms and closed her eyes. Hopefully the pain would abate by the next morning, the questions would no longer about an organization she knew nothing about; perhaps it would be better tomorrow.

It was all she had now, _tomorrow_.

Setsuna could not save her this time, she was completely alone.

The space of her small cell had nothing to offer but silence.

END


	5. Murmur: Setsuna

AN: Setsuna's turn again :) This takes place at the end of the second season.

Only one or two more chapters until this fic is done - woot! Write me a review and tell me what you'd like to see in the Epilouge...I have some things in mind, but extra ideas are always helpful :)

Dislcaimer: I don't own anything GW_00 related

Enjoy!

* * *

_It was over. _

The world around him was shifting in and out of focus; slowly hazing into black the more he struggled.

But he was alive, of that he was most certain.

Panting as he sat back in the seat of his Gundam, Setsuna closed his eyes and struggled to come to terms with the implications of his victory.

Ribbons Almark was dead, and the mission entrusted to them by Aeolia Stenberg was finally over, leaving humanity with the tools necessary to build a successful foundation for life in space.

Setsuna found himself blinking furiously as black spots filled his vision once more, and though they too slowly cleared it was quickly becoming apparent that something was desperately wrong.

And yet, in the grand scheme of things the fact that his body might be failing him seemed a relatively small price to pay. The costs already extracted from the other members of the crew appeared to him uneven, and terribly unfair.

_Tieria was dead. _

_Lockon too, Feldt's smile disappearing along with the older Meister. _

The memories of Christina, Lichty, and Dr. Moreno surfaced in quick succession.

Their sacrifices had not been in vain, and yet his heart remained heavy in a chest that continued to ache.

_Why?_

The world began to fade to a complete black as he tried desperately to reason it out.

_Why hadn't he died? _

It was the last thought on his mind before he fell into an answerless oblivion.

*******

He woke up in the medical ward of the Ptolemaios a long while later, his body held in place by little more than the thick blanket that covered him.

"Awake?"

Feldt looked over from the small desk she had been occupying, carrying in her hand his medical records. Having lived with each other long enough, Feldt knew enough not to ask any more complicated questions, Setsuna wasn't one for many words.

"Alive."

Voice rough from disuse the Gundam Meister chose to ignore the pointed look his comrade gave him. He had given her the truth, but there was little more he cared to say.

Not waiting for her to tell him what he could and could not do; the youngest Gundam Meister pushed the blankets to the side, intent to get away from this sterile room and suffocating atmosphere.

He had to get away, the irresistible pull of another calling him, unrelenting though unobtrusive in the quiet way it whispered to him.

_Go to her._

He didn't even need to say her name anymore, her image forever enshrined in his memory. Finding her all those months ago had been the victory he treasured over all others, her momentary presence on the Ptolemaios a salve on nerves too long frayed by her absence.

"I'm sorry Setsuna," Feldt apologized as her hand came forward to push him backwards onto the bed, "But it'll be a while before you can leave. You were badly injured; I'm actually surprised you're up at all."

Setsuna resisted her efforts to settle him with a blanket, his larger hands stopping her from finishing.

"I need to go somewhere."

"You're in no position to leave," she gave a pointed look to his bandaged arms and midsection before continuing on, "Sumeragi wanted to talk to you about what happens now."

The Gundam Meister remained silent as she continued to talk, but turned to look out the window where Earth was spread out before them. He already knew what Feldt would say, and though he couldn't say he was surprised, the small frown on his lips suggested he was less than pleased.

"She wants us to remain for a while longer to see if we're still going to be needed." Feldt's voice had dropped low and apologetic, "Peace is still a long time coming, Sumeragi thinks that we need to be here until it's finally appeared."

Setsuna merely nodded in silence before closing his eyes.

He would do as he was ordered, it was all he knew. But before he returned to the battlefield for this final time, his swan song, he had something to do.

Someone he had to see.

*******

He was in Azadistan a week later, walking through the silent halls of the Palace in the middle of the night. Truly, something things never changed, he didn't bother suppressing the aggravated frown of his lips as he once more stepped into her bedroom unchallenged.

_Had they learned nothing from his first appearance?_

At least now he knew that her enemies few and far between. And yet, no sooner had the thought enter his mind when he walked further into the room he found her missing once again, her bed mused but empty, her desk chair unoccupied.

Strange, but the sense of panic that should have risen felt more like icy rage. Cold, undiluted hatred, alien in its intensity, filtered through his veins and tightened the feeling in his chest, made him lock his jaw as he bit back a snarl.

_Where was she?_

The thought that he had once more failed her nearly did him in. As it was, the soft humming filtering through the air was more than white noise, and as he followed it outside he found his answer.

He found her sitting precariously on the balcony ledge outside; her feel hanging of the edge of the railing, Setsuna felt his heart lurch as she rocked back and forth. Hair fanning out behind her in the soft breeze, the dark banner called to him, beckoning him forward.

"Marina?"

She stilled instantly, her face turning towards him, her expression one of surprise and tentative happiness, the smile on her face all but rendering him mute as he watched her.

Setsuna felt his chest ease slightly as she swung around, small form twisting around as she swung off her perch, the distance between them shortening in the span of only a few seconds.

"Hello Setsuna."

The Gundam Meister inclined his head slightly and looked at her diminutive figure, all but concealed by his shadow. Taking one step to the side, Setsuna had to suppress the small smile that came to his lips when she looked at him quizzically. At least now he could see her better.

But just as he could better see her, so too it appeared that he was more visible to her clear blue eyes, for her expression immediately grew concerned.

"Setsuna?" her gaze was trained to the still tense set of his jaw, "Are you..."

Before he could do anything, her hand rose as if she might touch him, only to fall back suddenly as her courage failed her, disappearing beneath her long sleeves as she flushed awkwardly.

The silence seemed to lengthen the space between them, and though he was growing steadily more uncomfortable, it would seem that it would be from Marina he would once more find a release from tension.

"You know…" she tiled her head to the side as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "The news report said it supposed to rain later on tonight."

Her comment had little to do with any previous comment, was perhaps the most incongruous statement one could have made. And yet, the simplicity of such a statement, as if it were the sole most important matter on her mind, seemed to ease him instantly. Effortlessly she gave him the sense of normalcy he was sorely lacking, holding out the small flickering hope that someday their shared dream would become a reality while still reminding him that he was human.

"Marina."

"The news also broadcasted the fighting in space," she paled a little as she looked up at him, her expression frightened.

"I recognized you and…"

Setsuna waited for the moment she would step away from him in terror, she had always known he was a killer but he doubted she had ever seen the sort of carnage he was capable of. He could only imagine her horror as she had seen him kill man after man. The fact that his chest seemed to once more constrict was relegated to the back of his mind as he waited for her response.

_He would honor whatever decision she came to…even if that meant leaving her alone._

"Every explosion, the cameras had a hard time following what was going on, but I…every time they found you again, I was so worried…"

She wrung her hands fretfully, her knuckles turning white with the force of her anxiety.

"And I thought that you wouldn't…come back."

She shuddered violently as she shook her head, unable to go on, not daring to complete her thought. Noticing the near sickly pallor of her skin, Setsuna took a step closer so as to steady her; she was already swaying on her feet.

"Marina."

Once again this quiet lady, this Princess, had surprised him. Unable to look her directly in the eye, Setsuna felt himself crumble at her tender expression, his hand nearly shaking as he continued to support her smaller form against his own.

_She had been worried about him. _

"Stay."

The unexpected feeling of her arms around his waist, broke him out of his thoughts, as she affectively drew his gaze to her own.

"Please Setsuna. Now that this is over, this time, stay…_with me."_

The last few words remained unsaid as she pressed her head into the warmth of his side. It was a sensation he accepted immediately. Soft, just the right height, she couldn't have fit more perfectly. His arms closed around her immediately, tugging her closer for a moment before he realized what he was going. It was only then that Sumeragi's words came back to him.

_We still need you Setsuna, Celestial Being isn't done yet. We need to protect this fragile Peace for just a while longer. _

Closing his eyes, Setsuna choked back the wave of helpless frustration that rose to the surface.

"I can't."

His voice was firm, but as he watched her absorb his words he could feel the strain between them, all but tearing him apart. Watching the pain flash across her face the Gundam Meister struggled not to mirror her expression, forced himself to remain still as she slowly began to pull away.

A part of him recognized that this could very well be the last time she extended her hand to him. Having been asked several times before, the Meister knew that though she had been patient, there was a limit to how long anyone was willing to wait.

_I'm sorry. _

He wanted nothing more than to cross the meager distance between them take back the words. But he couldn't, because the truth of the matter was that the world still needed Celestial Being, and it had been his decision to continue fighting that had led him to find _her_ in the prison. He owed the crew of the Ptolemaios for saving her, for saving him.

"I understand." Her smile wavered as she stepped back, her arms falling limply to her side, "You're not done, are you? Peace isn't truly here yet is it?"

Looking into her face for a moment, he thought he saw her mouth tremble.

"Go on then."

She had encouraged him to leave, and yet, he couldn't stop feeling increasingly uneasy as Marina pulled fully out of his grasp. Watching the way her soft blue eyes slowly grew more distant and her lips began to tremble more noticeably.

_I'm sorry. _

Unable to bring the words to his lips, the silence seemed to grow between them until it stifled what had initially been so comfortable.

_This wasn't what he had wanted to happen. _

Her helpless laugh seemed to shatter the air of tense silence, her self-mocking giggle, so unlike her that Setsuna had only a moment to feel surprised before it was replaced by stunned horror. Tears, half hidden as she turned away in shame, were on her cheeks.

_Because of him._

"Marina-"

"I'm sorry," the Princess's voice was half-strangled as she glanced over her shoulder, "But it would be best if I go in now. Shirin will no doubt be wondering where I am."

Reaching out to touch her shoulder Setsuna could barely think past the image of her tear stained face, and was surprised when she moved away from his grasp.

"D-don't."

She wasn't looking at him, but her words were harsh, near desperate, as she ordered him away from her. Watching as her shoulders shuddered, he had no doubt she was still crying, though doing her best to contain it.

_Was she truly going to leave?_

A wave of nausea crash through him, storming his usually fortified emotions, armed with the incontrovertible knowledge that he was losing her for good. Setsuna had once believed her to be similar to his mother. Kind, gentle, Marina has shown to possess the qualities that had so long soothed the wounds upon his soul. Time after time, it had of her that he had thought. Every conflict found him thinking of her and drawing strength. He had convinced himself long ago that the feelings he had harbored before this second war was the result of their similarity.

_He was such a liar. _

Striding after her retreating form, Setsuna caught up to her just as she entered the spacious confines of her room, her stricken face a ghostly reflection in her vanity mirror.

_He had known almost immediately that she was different, special._

"Marina."

_He was not going to lose her now. _

Her name rushed past masculine lips as his hand closed around her upper arm, tugging her into his chest, trapping her against him. Closing his eyes, Setsuna buried his face in her hair and held her close, refusing to budge even when she began to cry more fully against him, her hands closing on the front of his shirt.

"Please don't go." Murmuring in earnest, he held her tighter against him as he clung to her desperately, his knees all but giving out as he tried to fight her departure.

"Please…"

It wasn't until she sagged against him in exhaustion, that he finally allowed himself to ease his hold on her, pulling her closer only when he moved them both to her bed. Brushing the last of her tears from her face, the Gundam Meister lingered a moment longer before curling up at her side. Murmuring to her softly as he continued to hold her, Setsuna felt the tightness in his chest recede as he merely reveled in their closeness.

_Was this what it felt like then?_

The sudden sound of rushing water filled the air outside, and as he turned to watch the rain begin to fall he felt her shift against him, her head nuzzling his neck as she sighed contentedly.

_Was this love?_

They stayed like that for a good long while, until the rain had stopped and the sun had begun to once more appear on the horizon. And yet, for all of the beauty of the sunrise, it was to her face that he looked to first, quietly appreciating the delicate features half hidden beneath the river of dark hair that flowed over her shoulders, pooled onto his chest.

Letting it run through his fingers, Setsuna closed his eyes again to savor the feeling. He would have to leave eventually. But until then, the world would be as she asked; _he_ would be hers for as long as he could.

Outside, the sun rose higher in the sky and cast a brilliant glow on them both.

The future had just begun.

END


	6. Murmur: Marina

AN: Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay, I actually got pretty sick last week and was barely able to make it to class let alone write a chapter - so I apologize for the rather late status of this update. As expected, this is the Marina portion of the Murmur event so I hope you like seeing her thoughts. I tried to give her some solid reasons for being as she is in Setsuna's chapter so I hope that comes across ok :)

Last chapter (which will be a mix of both POVs) should be out either late this week or the next. As always, suggestions are welcome, as are reviews (thank you to all who have, they mean so much!) and constructive criticism.

I'm also considering a similar format story for Neil/Feldt (my second fave pairing) so send me a message if you have any desire in that too!

Hope you enjoy!!!

~Voi

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Gundam00, its characters or anything else you recognize.

* * *

They were playing it on the television again, and though she knew that it was merely a recording of the space conflict that occurred nearly a week ago she couldn't bear to watch it.

_Setsuna._

Every time she saw that familiar fighting machine flash onto the screen the Azadistan Princess felt her heart seize a little more in apprehension. It was even worse when he disappeared altogether. She had been so sure that the moment the camera had left him that some unspeakable horror had befallen him.

Even now she wasn't completely certain that he was still alive. The cameras had cut off prematurely and so every hour since had been punctuated by a deep tension as she scanned the news for further information.

Wringing her hands as she crossed the room and out onto the balcony Marina struggled with unease that had been building in the pit of her stomach since the first broadcast nearly a week ago.

_Was he alright? Was he alive?_

The young woman felt her hands tremble as she placed them on the balcony railing and forced them down all the harder, willing them to stop.

She was not going to spend this evening near ill with misplaced worry, until she was told that he was dead there was still hope. Taking in a shuddering breath, Marina paused for a moment more before climbing atop the wide railing, her feet dangling over edge as she turned her attention to survey her country.

She did this every night before she went to bed, and the beautiful view of her country usually filled her with a feeling of purpose, especially in the years she had thought Setsuna had died. Brushing her hair behind her shoulders, the princess mused for a moment more before a sound behind her drew her noticed.

"Marina?"

Feeling her heart still in her chest for a moment, Marina had to bite back her sob of relief as she turned her head, catching the all too familiar amber gaze of Setsuna F. Seiei.

Turning around from her place on the ledge, she all but ran to him, her long hair cascading around her in an unruly banner. Feeling self conscious, she pulled it straight as she smiled softly up at him, "Hello Setsuna."

It was hard to see his expression half-hidden as he was in the dark, but a minute later he shifted slightly. Smiling as she got a better look at his features, her expression drooped a little when she noticed the clenched muscles of his jaw, the rigidity with which his shoulders sat.

"Setsuna?" taking another step closer she tried to find the right thing to do, "Are you…"

_Ok?_

Her hand came up to touch the thin frown marks on his forehead, only to curl up and fall to her side when she noticed his surprised, and she imagined uncomfortable, look.

_Sorry…_

Mustering what courage she had left the woman strived to change the subject and put her awkward actions out of mind, not that she was likely to forget it anytime soon.

"You know…the news report said it's supposed to rain later on tonight."

_Well, storm actually_ but the details were perhaps not important, and the fact she had chosen to speak about weather of all things seemed that much more mollifying. But just as she thought of the news broadcast images of the forever repeating space battle took its place at the forefront of her mind.

_Setsuna_

"The news also broadcasted the fighting in space," as if watching the fighting all over again the princess could feel herself grow physically ill once more, "I recognized you and…"

_Thought you had died._

Unbidden the images she had been suppressing all evening rushed up to meet her. The anguish and renewed loneliness, the heart rending pain at the thought that he had died. She hadn't been able to sleep properly since then, had barely managed to eat let alone travel and do the duties expected of her.

It was probably best that Shirin had rescheduled them for her despite the fact that the older woman was no longer technically a member of her staff.

"Every explosion, the cameras had a hard time following what was going on, but I…every time they found you again, I was so worried…"

Wringing her hands once more, the Azadistan Princess struggled to find the right words, all the while worrying that she would be saying too much. Setsuna wasn't one who was always comfortable with the more emotional side of human beings. She happened to be one such over-emotional example.

"I thought that you wouldn't…come back."

_That you were dead._

Another shudder coursed through her body this time, taking most of her strength with it. Feeling ashamed of herself for her weakness, Marina merely looked away from the much taller Gundam Meister, biting back tears of humiliation and fear.

_She wouldn't have been able to take it if he had died again. _

However, a sudden warmth on her elbow made her look up, and though his face seemed just as surprised by his actions as she was, the hand supporting her was firm.

"Marina."

Her heart gave a sharp thump and before she quite knew what she was saying, the word slipped from her lips.

"Stay."

Giving him a soft hug, one that crossed any and all borders she had just set for herself, Marina repeated her sentence, hoping against all odds that the little confidence she gained from this one small physical bond would be enough.

"Please Setsuna. Now that this is over, this time, stay…."

_With me…_

She lost the confidence to utter those final two words, felt too embarrassed as she momentarily tucked her face into his shoulder. The arm that settled around her shoulders a moment later was warm and solid as is pulled her closer. But no sooner had she grown used to this pleasant embrace, this moment of peace, that he spoke the words she least wished to hear.

"I can't."

She should have known he wouldn't be able to; it had been nothing more than a utopian idea.

_And yet, why was her chest starting to ache so fiercely? _

His expression was flat as she forced herself to meet his gaze, and against her will she forced a smile on her face, as if it might somehow ease the pain that was steadily coming into focus.

_Was this to be their fate then? Forever walking parallel paths towards their similar goal, forever separated?_

In her mind the image of his letter sharpened, the words long since memorized.

_They would never be together. _

After all that happened, her guilt over his death, the realization that he was alive, she wasn't sure how much more she could take, how much strength she had left in her. Before she quite understood what was quite happening, she found her mouth opening once more. A thousand different lies swimming in her mind's eye, she chose the one she thought the younger man might believe.

It wasn't like her to lie, but there was no sense in begging him; she owed it to him to make their parting as pleasant as she could. She owed him far too much to ask again, would never be selfish enough to place her desires, however desperate, ahead of a goal they both shared.

_Peace._

"I understand."

Feeling her smile begin to waver, Marina looked down for a moment to make the appropriate adjustments, pulling her arms away from his waist as she struggled for composure.

And yet, she couldn't stop herself from asking the questions on her mind, even when they threatened to betray her true feelings.

"You're not done, are you?"

Managing to look up at his face again, Marina noticed the deep purple shadows under his eyes; no doubt he would overlook his health in years they were likely to be apart. Struggling not to grow increasingly concerned at the thought of his self-neglect, the Princess touched the small pocket in her dress that still contained the letter he had written her all those years ago.

_What was the use of this letter anymore but the naïve collection of all her private wishes?_

"Peace isn't truly here yet is it?"

_He wasn't coming back after this; the battlefield would be his home indefinitely._

She could see it in his face.

Her façade was threatening to slip once more, and though she sought to quickly bring to a close their conversation part of her wished for hours more to talk.

"Go on then."

The smile on her lips was getting harder to hold as the seconds ticked by, near excruciating by the time she half-covered her mouth with one overly large dress sleeve; her eyes immediately locking on the ground.

It hurt, his rejection of her offer seemed to strike the very core of her as his amber eyes continued to bear down on her without any outward sign of emotion. She couldn't find the strength in herself to look up and meet his eyes anymore. It shouldn't have wounded her the way it did, the offer had always been one of friendship, a kindly reminder that should he ever desire it, refuge would be his. But this rejection, so intensely final as it was mirrored in the expressionless smooth of his face, struck at her heart and nearly shattered it, because she loved him.

_She._

_Loved._

_Him._

The sudden realization took her breath away as she swung around to look at his eyes, as if truly understanding for the first time. Everything about him made her heart race; every moment believing him dead had been agony. Of course she hadn't considered him a friend, had _never_ considered him _just_ a friend. Her subconscious had recognized the boy who had some to her rescue all those years ago as her fated partner.

She felt like a fool, a silly girl despite her years.

All these years, and she had never drawn the right conclusions. And now he had refused her for what would surely be the last time. No doubt, he was leaving for the battlefield for good. Unable suppress her growing hysteria over the fact Marina laughed.

A tight self-depreciating giggle she realized was so unlike herself, the princess couldn't stop her uncharacteristic course as she poured all of her pain into the action. Turning to her face to the sky, she bit her lip until she realized her cheeks were moist with tears, warm saline running from her eyes in thick rivulets.

Struggling with herself, she turned away from the unreadable expression on Setsuna's face, mumbling incoherently as she pressed hands to tear-swollen eyes.

They wouldn't stop, no matter how many times she brushed them away.

"Marina-"

Setsuna's voice seemed an unintentional barb, and so she interrupted him before her remaining strength quailed with what would, no doubt, be his goodbye.

She had to leave, _now_. She could already tell she was falling apart; it was unlikely she would last for much longer before she truly lost herself.

"I'm sorry," wincing at the almost strangled sound of her voice Marina took several steps towards her room, "But it would be best if I go in now. Shirin will no doubt be wondering where I am."

And yet, for all of the kindness he had shown her, the feel of Setsuna's hand on her felt like an almost inhuman cruelty, as it all but seared her skin. Feeling herself crumble all the faster, Marina near tore her shoulder from his grasp.

"D-don't."

She could barely speak past the hurt in her throat, her heart, near choking her into silence. The thought of crying in front of him was more than she could bear and so blindly she walked towards her room. Stumbling as she moved farther and farther away, the wound in her chest seemed to open wider and wider.

_She was at her limit._

But no sooner had she reached the dark refuge when arms, thin but leanly muscled, closed around her forcing her to a halt. She didn't have to wonder who it was; his familiar scent was all but on her now, as he pressed her close to his chest.

"Marina Ismail."

Half-blind with tears she turned towards his voice, if just to try and beg him to release her.

"Let me go," her hands were on his chest but didn't push, "P-please."

Instead of listening to her, she felt his head bend down to brush his cheek with the top her head. Distantly she recognized the intimacy of such action, especially for one such as Setsuna. And yet, it didn't take very long to realize that she must have made him feel guilty.

_It wasn't like he actually cared. _

Hear aching, the terribly acute pain all but suffocated her as she pushed gently against him without avail, "I don't want your pity, let me go…oh p-please, let me go."

_Before I can't…_

Sobbing into his chest, Marina could feel his breath on her forehead, his cheek warm against her hair.

_He wasn't listening to her._

Her knees gave out then, her despair so tremendous that she was only vaguely aware he was still holding her collapsed form, his arms now wrapped comfortably around her waist.

"You said yourself we can't be together. You said you couldn't stay…" she whispered confused as he drew her up to him, carrying her further into her room and laying them both upon her bed.

Tears continued running down her cheek in thick rivulets for a long while after they had settled together on the soft comforter, and for once it was not her hand, but his that brushed them away.

_Why didn't he just leave her?_

"Marina."

The look he gave her was near stricken as he continued to touch her cheek gently as if reassuring himself she was still there. Minutes passed by as his silent coaxing eventually quieted her.

_"I'm not leaving…not for a while. Not anymore."_

The words were half muted because he had spoken more into her hair than anywhere else, but she heard nonetheless, her startled blue eyes immediately seeking amber.

"You…"

She tried to repeat what he had said, half afraid that she had misheard. But the slight, almost anxious look on Setsuna's face seemed to drive his words home.

_"You're not leaving?"_

Feeling her heart in her throat the princess buried her face in his chest with a long shuddering sigh, closing her eyes as she felt his arms curl around her shoulders and pull her closer.

It was strange, this new found physicality to their relationship. Never before had either of them ever been so overtly physical, touching between them never deviated much from the necessarily tap on the shoulder or tug. And yet, for all lack of experience, this new facet of their relationship seemed so effortlessly integrated. As if the desire had always been there, they both reveled in the closeness of contact, immediately comfortable in the strange new place they had discovered together. A hug, a soft touch on the cheek, chaste though they were, they were second nature now.

"Setsuna?"

Her words were half-slurred as she sleepily mumbled from her curled position at his side. She could barely make his outline in the darkness, but the reassuring press of his arms around her seemed to remind her that she was no longer alone.

"Sleep," the soft rumble of his chest combined with the warmth from their shared blanket was enough to make her fall asleep. The last thought running through her haze of exhaustion was the realization that it had started raining outside.

She woke the next morning to the soft shifting of his hand through her hair. Seemingly fascinated, Marina couldn't stop the smile that formed on her lips as the man beside her quietly contented himself for several more moments.

It was just the two of them, on this bed, at this very minute of time.

And though sun eventually rose higher on the horizon to paint his skin a brilliant gold, it was the dark waves of his hair, turned rich molasses in the light, remained the object of her gaze.

Drifting over her cheeks, the soft tendrils meshed with her own as he leaned down to greet her good morning, the warmth of his breath feathering over her forehead, her cheeks, her lips.

"Marina Ismail."

His kiss was tentative, obviously unpracticed, but sincere as he brushed his mouth against her own. Flushing at the surprising but wholly appreciated gesture, Marina had only to look at his anxious, self-conscious expression before smiling. Leaning up to cup his face in his hands, Marina paused for a moment to take in the unusually soft expression in his eyes before murmuring her good morning, returning his kiss with all the awkward but heartfelt emotion she had in her.

Their future had just begun.

END


	7. Hum: Epilogue

AN: Alrighty! So here it is, the FINAL chapter for Painted Veil - though not the end of my love for this particular pairing :) I'm not sure if I'll ever write for this couple again, but it could certainly happen sometime in the future.

I tried to make this chapter a mix of fluffy and dramatic as per my usual style, as well as tried to keep the characters in character :P

Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

~Voi

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Gundam 00, its characters or anything else you recognize.

* * *

Years had passed, exactly how many was hard to say. But peace had come at last, slow but finally all encompassing. It would be the one year anniversary of worldwide armistice next month, and the nations of the world had found vitality amidst the silence.

Azadistan had recovered from the civil wars that had ravaged its people for years, and in rebuilding had shown to be a country of great strength and understanding. Those of the Republic of Krugis became more widely accepted, and the road toward full acceptance appeared readily at the feet of all citizens. Flourishing now, under the rule of their Princess, a golden age had descended upon these desert peoples with the bright glow of a promising future ever growing.

It was, in nearly all things, perfect.

Almost unrealistically so, and yet for all the peace, one last thought lingered in the minds of all citizens of this reborn country; their Princess.

Lady Marina.

It seemed now that the only source of concern was their Princess, who despite great success in the realms of diplomacy and peace had been rumored to be married though no one quite knew to whom. Silly though it was, the people of Azadistan had come to be protective of their lady, and so while they never publically said anything, they were always observing. Official ceremonies, gala events were always attended by their Lady alone, never accompanied by a significant other, no matter what the circumstance. Not that they didn't believe her, the slim gold band on her finger was proof enough for the masses, but the conspicuous absence of her spouse had many wondering just who it was their beloved princess had married.

Stories ran rampant through the country. Some said a rich foreigner who had to constantly work overseas; others suggested that she had fallen in love with one of her servants. Other still believed her husband to be a soldier from the wars long past.

No doubt the people would have had something to say about it if their lady hadn't taken a much needed vacation, her words suggesting that it was to be with her husband. They would come to know him eventually.

_Azadistan Coast_

Sunlight filtered gently through the gauzy curtains of the small coastal home, casting a warm golden glow on the woman sleeping in the expansive bed that so dominated the small room into which it had been placed.

Stirring as the soft light spilled across her eyes, Marina woke with a small sigh, her long lashes opening for a moment before blinking in rapid succession as if trying to clear her vision.

"Soran?"

As always, his name was the first word on her lips. But even before she turned over she could tell he was no longer there, the sheets long since cool to the touch.

Getting up took decidedly less time than usual as Marina strode from the room without bothering to change from her dressing gown, a thick wool blanket settling around her shoulders only as an afterthought.

No doubt he would be outside.

And he was; sitting quietly among the rolling dunes, his head half cushioned on the arms he had propped on his knees. Dark hair swept over his closed eyes, and though he appeared to be dozing peacefully Marina knew he would want to know she had woken.

Remembering the last time she had let him sleep in after her Marina shook her head; he had nearly stormed into the lunch she had been hosting for a few of the visiting diplomats. Not that she was hosting luncheons anymore, but she liked to see him wake up just the same.

"I found you."

Whispering his name again, she smiled a little as his dark eyes slowly opened, locking to her own. Even now, years later, his gaze hadn't lost their ability to charm her with their deep amber coloring despite the otherwise quiet expression on his face.

Bending down to brush some sand from his cheek, she seemed to sense the frown before it appeared on his lips, "Memories?"

Cupping his face between her hands, she used her thumbs to smooth the thin stress lines on his forehead,

Being so close seemed to reveal the clues as to his current state. The thick tension in the rigid set of his shoulders, the fact that he hadn't bothered to wear anything more than his sleeping pants to come outside a clear indication that he had needed to make a quick exit.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

Shifting the thick blanket from her shoulders, Marina had nearly pulled it off when she felt a hand on her own, gently tugging her into his arms. Eyeing his own serious expression with one of her own, the princess found herself suddenly smiling as he looked away, embarrassed.

"Marina…Ismail…"

Marina merely smiled all the more as she settled against him, curling up when the blanket came around them both, encompassing them in its warmth.

"You know, you have to stop calling me that," seeing his confused look she repeated his words "You know I'm married now, 'Ismail' is no longer my last name."

Minutes passed unbroken until she felt him shift beside her, the warmth of his body pressing to hers, his mouth brushing her neck for a moment as he curled around her, his arms around her shoulders.

"Marina Ibrahim, then." He sounded pleased with her as he nuzzled her shoulder and laid his head upon it.

"You know, I could have kept your other last name."

Her gaze had drifted out to sea, lingering on the waves as she spoke.

_It was wonderfully serene here._

When he failed to respond the woman turned to find him sleeping soundly, his eyes once more obscured by his dark hair. Reaching out to stoke the downy soft curl at his temple, Marina marveled at the unguarded way he rested upon her, content in her mere presence.

"Happy Birthday, my love."

Fingering the thin band on her left hand she had to smile a little, no doubt she would be giving him his present later. She wanted him entirely awake when she did.

He had been sleeping in this small house for nearly a year now, ever since they had married; hidden from the public eye but here nonetheless. She had taken leave nearly every weekend so as to be with him, but she doubted that such a commute would be possible for much longer.

Her hand drifted to her stomach for a moment, lingering, before it tucked itself once more to her side.

Setsuna had only recently been able to sleep the entire night through without leaving, memories of the past eleven years replaying like a broken disk in his mind. And even then, there were moments such as these that occurred whenever they were least expecting it.

She doubted Setsuna would ever be able to completely incorporate back into society, but she was willing to stay by him and try. Nothing would take her away from him. She had waited years to be as she was now; nothing short of her own death would remove her from his side.

Humming softly as she continued to stroke his hair, Marina turned to look out to sea once more and thought back to the considerable number of years she had come to know this man laying beside her.

_Had they truly known each other for so long a time?_

The sudden appearance of large hand in her view prompted her to look up, away from the watery landscape that had so captivated her.

"Soran?"

She had been using his birth name ever since the armistice and his return to civilian life. The change had been a gradual one, but her now-husband had seemed contented with his return to the more sedate life of the masses.

More than a little confused, Marina blinked several times before she fully realized what was going on. She hadn't even realized he had removed himself from her side, too lost in the musing of her mind.

"You're going to catch a cold if we stay out here much longer."

He sounded worried despite his attempts to hide it. Indeed, he had tugged her upright and into his arms before she could quite form a proper sentence in reply. Marina had come to recognize this rather protective nature as unique for her alone. And while she knew that he knew her to be fully self sufficient, it was rather nice to be taken care of once in a while.

Indeed, being carried back into the house was a treat unto itself, one which earned him a rather lovely reward as he set her down in their bedroom once more.

_He still blushed a little whenever they kissed._

Sitting down on the bed, Marina smiled a little more as she looked up at his slightly flustered form.

"What was it that you wanted for your birthday?"

Marina moved so that she lay on their bed, her long hair fanned out behind her, Setsuna settled next to her, his body slowly sinking into the mattress as he leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers once more before answering her question.

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Surely I can tempt you with _something_."

Marina smiled as her hand came to rest against his cheek, not bothering to hide her frank affection.

"I just want it to be the two of us," Setsuna's voice was soft as he came to lay beside her, "Nothing special…just…us."

"And if I told you it won't be the two of us for very much longer?"

Marina struggled to hide the way her smile broadened, and turned to her side so as not to give away her expression.

"What do you mean?" Setsuna all but breathed the words, his arms immediately coming around her as he pulled himself over her. His eyes turned to look at his wife again, though this time assessing, looking for change and finding none.

Instead of immediately answering however, Marina merely smiled contently and took his larger hand in her own. Rubbing it for a moment to sooth his worries, the princess faltered for a moment, before she once more found the nerve, pressing the large warmth of his hand very purposefully to her still-flat midsection.

The implication was immediately clear.

Setsuna's eyes flew wide as he looked at her once more radiant expression before looking back down to where his hand touched her stomach, his long fingers spreading wider as if to try and feel the infant growing within.

"You're pregnant?"

"About three months now," her voice was serene as she leaned deeper into his touch, "the doctor said I'd start showing soon, but I wanted to save telling you until your birthday."

Only six more months until he became a father, the thought was staggering, though Marina had to smile at how well her husband was taking it. His expression was unlike anything she had ever seen before, so entirely at peace that it took only the slightest shift on his part to reveal a stray disparate thought.

"You're…ok with this?"

The question seemed to startle her lover, as his worried amber eyes flickered back to her own for a long moment before returning once more to look at her middle. It was only with much hesitation that the younger man finally admitted to her his worry his anxious expression ill disguised apprehension.

"I don't know how to be a father."

Marina would have smiled had her husband not sounded so completely distressed over the fact. And she knew that on some level he was reliving memories of his childhood, though which specific ones were entirely unknown.

And yet, for all of his worries, his hand didn't move from her stomach, remaining steady as he cradled the life he had helped create. Already his body knew what to do, how to keep their child safe.

_He would make a wonderful father._

Unable to help the way her heart swelled with joy Marina tipped her chin up to press a soft kiss upon his lips.

"You do my love, you do_._"

*******

"Marina?!"

Setsuna opened the door to confront chaos, as two nurses and a doctor all crowded around his wife, murmuring encouragement while they monitored her vital signs and readied for the birth of the child.

She had been on her way to see him when her water had broken; half frightened because he wasn't with her, she had called him as she was being rushed to the hospital.

He was already an hour late.

"Marina?"

Stepping quickly into the room and closing the door, the ex-Gundam Meister moved around the nurses until his wife came into view, her hair sweat-streaked and eyes closed as she struggled to breathe.

Setsuna took one tightly clenched hand in his own and stroked softly, willing her to open her eyes and look at her.

"Where…" she took sharp gasping breaths, "have you been?"

"There was a traffic accident, they had to reroute the cars."

"You're late."

Marina all but frowned at him before gasping aloud, closing her eyes as she leaned back against the bed.

Setsuna had no time to apologize before she went into full labor, and the hours began to blur together in a long series of sharp gasps, harsh breathing and the feel of her hand tightening on his own.

It was well into the late evening when the child finally arrived.

Wailing the moment it exited the birth canal, the small child was covered in more red mucus than not. Setsuna immediately went to Marina's side, his customary scarf used to wipe away any remaining sweat as his wife slumped back to the bed, exhausted. And yet, in a matter of minutes all of that vanished, as the nurse came forward with their child.

"Congratulations, it's a boy."

The small, still squalling bundle found itself in Setsuna's arms, little scrunched face just barely visible within the soft blue wrappings. Half numb with surprise, the man accepted his child with an expression that quickly turned to wonderment as he looked at his wife.

"Look at our son, Marina."

He handed her their child as he fell mute, content at watching both wife and child together. The child contented itself instantly, small hiccupping-whimper all that was left from his initial wailing. And his wife…Setsuna felt a wave of warmth rush through him as she looked up at him, positively glowing as despite the exhaustion that had come over her.

"Hello Daddy," she said fondly as she patted the spot next to her softly, "He looks just like you."

Marina's voice was scarcely more than a whisper. Truly she must be exhausted. But no sooner had she spoken when her face contorted in pain and she gasped sharply once more, her face quickly turning pale despite her initial flush of exertion.

_What?_

Looking down at her lap, Setsuna felt his stomach roll. She was bleeding, _still_ bleeding from the birth, the scarlet liquid now saturating the pale blankets between her legs.

_Why hadn't he noticed what was happening? Something was going horribly wrong. _

"DOCTOR!"

The older woman took one look at Marina and immediately blanched, her voice calling her nurses frantically and sending them to find additional help. Amidst the sudden increase in noise and movements, Setsuna's eyes caught the slender form of his wife, now half slumped over as she continued to cradle their son to her breast.

"Marina?!"

Setsuna surged forward, unable to keep himself from her side despite the quickly growing pool of red that was all but soaking the bed.

_Why was this happening?_

"Shh…" Setsuna felt his chest tighten as he set up upright and pressed his hand to her cheeks, feeling panic well as they felt clammy.

"It'll be alright my love." Despite her pain and exhaustion she managed to pass the babe, "Here, take our son."

He didn't bother to argue with her, knowing that it would just waste whatever precious energy she had left. Instead, he bent closer to her for a moment, brushing his lips against her own as a nurse called for him in the hallway.

_He had to go, but he didn't want to leave. _

"Don't worry about me, look after our baby. I'll be …"

Her eyes shut then, her lips opening suddenly as she cried out in pain, the end of her sentence lost in the next instant as a terrible screeching noise filled the room, menacing as its mechanical precisions reported what Setsuna was sure was worst nightmare.

_Marina's heart monitor had flat lined. _

Feeling his expression fall into one of horror, the Gundam Meister froze as the doctors and nurses pushed through the door way, their own faces set with grim determination.

_She was dying…she was..._

On the edge of his consciousness he realized that his son was screaming aloud as if rebelling against the thought that the mother that had just recently brought him into the world was gone.

_Was it to be a trade then? The life of his wife for that of their child. _

The hand that took hold of his elbow had barely to pull him from the room, his body running in an awful semi-conscious state where only the feel of his son in his arms registered and kept him sane.

"Mr. Ibrahim."

Turning his head to the voice with haunted eyes, he recognized the woman as the nurse who had first given him his son to hold.

"Mr. Ibrahim, why don't you come with me?"

"My wife…"

Setsuna could barely form the proper words but as his son continued to cry, the new father broke off to murmur softly until the baby had quieted. It was only when the older man looked up that the nurse noted the troubled look remained.

Her smile was kind as patted his arm and then drew him next to her, walking slowly so as to enable him to follow.

"Marina…"

He could scarcely understand what was going on around him, his mind still tied to the hospital room behind them, to the woman lying alone on the bed.

_He didn't want to leave her alone._

"Please," his voice was rough with the emotion he was only barely able to suppress, "I want to be with my wife."

"Lady Marina will be alright," the nurse responded her tone steely but the waver of uncertainty did much to outline the truth of the predicament.

"I won't leave her."

"Your son needs to be in the ward then, you can't keep holding him if you're going to be waiting out here. He needs to be watched over."

The nurse opened her arms to receive the bundle, but Setsuna felt hesitant to so quickly give his child up. His eyes drifted to Marina's door, lingering for a moment before speaking.

"I can drop him off myself."

_Marina had told him to look after their son, it was not a responsibility he was just going to ignore._

And when, at last, he exited the infant ward, he got no farther than three steps before he crumbled against the wall, choking on the emotion he could do nothing with.

Marina had been wrong when she had said their son looked like him. Setsuna had only been able to see _her_ as he set their child in his little bed, the soft lashes and smooth features reminders of memories too quickly taken for granted.

_Had war taught him nothing about cherishing those that mattered?_

The past year had seemed so strange to him. No more fighting, instead he had found himself wrapped up in a life that seemed completely at ease. No more Gundam, Katharom or A-Laws, just _her_ and the child that grew within her womb.

He could still see her sitting next to him in bed, her head on his shoulder while she softly hummed to the child still cradled within her. Setsuna had asked her once why she did so, and she had smiled as she explained that it was so her child might recognize her voice when it was born.

At the time he had merely smiled at her and taken it for granted that she would be there after the birth of their child.

Thinking to the small house he had left not six hours earlier, Setsuna could still envision the way the little nursery was arranged. They had worked on it together, a project of theirs while waiting for the child to grow. Filled with plush toys and all the essentials, the labor of love had only just been completed in the past month. Remembering coming in from the beach one evening, he had found her asleep in the rocking chair they had set up in the nursery, a small print pajama in her hands.

_Neither of them had expected this sort of complication._

"Mr. Ibrahim?"

The nurse was back; her expression unreadable as she got his attention, Setsuna in no state to comprehend what was going on.

He found himself in Marina's room moments later, alone.

She was sleeping. Setsuna sucked in a ragged breath and stumbled over to her, his hands closing around her delicate hand and holding on.

"Marina?"

Part of him became panicked when she didn't respond right away, and he could do little to assuage his fears except hold her hand all the tighter.

"Marina."

His voice was rough with emotion but he cared for nothing but her. Sitting quietly at her side, her kept his vigil for several hours until the soft whisper of her hand on his arm woke him from a nap he had no recollection of taking.

"You look exhausted."

Her voice was calm, as if she didn't quite realize what had transpired these past several hours, as if she didn't realize she had all but died after delivering their son.

"Where's our son?"

Setsuna could barely manage a word, his relief so intense he nearly trembled.

"Soran?" her serene expression grew confused, "What's wrong?"

"You almost died," his words came out half-strangled.

"I know." her lips trembled a little as her eyes watered, "I was f-frightened. But I don't want to think about it, because I'm right here, right now. I don't want to worry about what might have been. We've always looked to the future right?"

The return of the soft smile on her face nearly killed him as much as her response, "When I woke up, the doctors said I was healthy enough for more children," her blue eyes grew dark with longing, "…if we ever wanted more than just our son, I would be able."

"We're not having another child." Setsuna's voice was hard.

"Soran?"

Setsuna couldn't stop himself from choking on the words he had wanted to say, his arms around her shoulders to clutch her against his chest with desperation, "I don't want to do that to you again. Not if it means you will suffer like that."

"This was a onetime occurrence…rare…"

"No," Setsuna shook his head as he pressed his face into her hair desperately wishing that they didn't have to have this conversation; that it had been normal labor and not nearly fatal. Even if she said she was capable of going through such horrors again, Setsuna wasn't so sure that _he_ had the strength needed to see it out.

_Truly _she_ had always been the stronger one._

"My fault…" he shuddered remembering all the blood and the way her limp body had felt in his arms.

_It was his fault; he had thoughtlessly gotten her pregnant without realizing the risk. _

And though he had tried to shield himself from view, Marina was the one to wipe away the lone tear on his cheek.

"It was never your fault my love." She held him until the shuddering stopped, "Take us home."

*******

Nearly six months later in the dead of night a small wailing cry broke the stillness that had blanketed the Ibrahim household for all of four hours. Half blinded with exhaustion, Marina moved to push off her thin blankets only to be stopped by the warm hand on her lower back, coaxing her back to bed.

"I'll get him."

Not bothering to grab his light summer robe, Setsuna left the bed, his large form moving the few feet from bed to sleeping bassinet. They had yet to move their son to his nursery due to his fussy sleep schedule. No doubt it would be at least two years before either of them would get any decent rest.

"Shhh…"

Funny that Setsuna would find himself so comfortable with the domestic setting in which he had found himself. The ease with which he picked up the child and cradled him in his arms a testament the countless hours spent helping his busy wife.

"Shhh...Don't wake your mother."

The infant in his arms seemed less inclined to listen to his father this evening but quieted down to soft whimpers anyway. It was likely that both would feel guilty if they woke the only lady in their lives, in this case at least the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

Moving towards the rocking chair Setsuna paused for a moment considering his options before turning towards the bedroom door. No doubt it would be smarter to care for the little one here then chance waking up his wife, but after nearly twenty weeks of baby care one learned a few things.

Humming softly as he rocked the small bundle back and forth in his arms, Setsuna had only just crossing to the back of the bed when, with a soft yawn, his son opened his eyes, blinking slowly as he did so.

_He had Marina's eyes, shape, color, kindness. _

Most doctors said that eye color was susceptible to change for up to nine months after birth, but there was little doubt in Setsuna's mind that his son would inherit any other color. But perhaps the man known now as Soran Ibrahim had learned how to be a wishful thinker. Indeed, the sight of the large pools of blue, so trusting and innocent seemed to steal the very air from his lungs no matter how many times they looked at him.

A perfect blend of Marina and himself, the thought was still staggering and sometimes unfathomable.

_Surely this was why he had fought all of those years._

Moving back to the bedroom where Marina was sleeping, exhaustion apparent in the now soundless way she slept. Setsuna sat beside her for a very long moment, his hand coming up to push back the blue-black hair from her face.

_His wife. _

She had been by his side long before either of them had ever come to love one another. Quiet but with such inner strength, Setsuna's eyes lingered for a moment on her face before looking down at the infant sleeping on his arm, the tuft of coppery down so like his own.

_His son._

Closing his eyes for a moment as he reclined against the soft pillows of their bed, Setsuna placed the child on his chest so that he could feel the child's soft whisper of breath. It had long since become custom for the two males to fall asleep in such a way, and while usually this served to lull both to sleep, this evening was slightly different. And when at last he could stay awake no longer it was Marina who took their once more fussing son to nurse him and then settle him in the nearby bassinet, his soft cooing a familiar music.

Setsuna's last memory was of Marina's tired but contented face as she settled at his side and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, an action he returned with a lazy smile.

"I love you."

_Finally together, a family, they had found happiness at last. _

FIN


End file.
